Therefore, I've been hovering over at the USFSA & ISU sites respectively, trying to select which package I want, even though I don't purchase tickets until literally the last second because if there is ice & snow on the road then we're not going. Better to be safe than sorry. In the meantime I'm praying it doesn't snow, please God!

Still, while shopping this past weekend at the mall, we were trying to figure out what gifts to get our favorite skaters. Lol, though my baby niece is a fan of Johnny Weir, that's all, and is disappointed he won't be skating. :( And she's not quite familiar with any of the ladies, however I hope that changes once we attend. (:^) So it was left up to me to decide what to buy, and thus far I haven't bought anything because first I want to make sure to buy what they like, of course. But during the looking phase I ended up buying my baby niece & nephew everything, the skaters nothing, and myself a pair of Swarovski Breast Cancer Awareness Earrings (10% of the proceeds go to breast cancer research, as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month) in honor of my late grandmother whom died of this terrible disease back in 1972.

So my quest is to find out what the following skaters treasure/collect/enjoy:

I don't think you have to be too fearful of ice and snow in Portland in November. I, too, am going to Skate America. This will be the first competition I have attended. I did buy my tickets a couple weeks ago. I grew up in the area and am visiting my parents for a few days before the competition. I decided to stay downtown Portland during Skate America. I love Portland. Since I don't get to a bigger city often, it will be a treat.

Allright, that's GREAT that you are going to see your first competition live!!!!! *clapping*

As for me, I live in Seattle, so it only takes around 3.5 hrs. to get to Portland when I drive fast, which I always do, lol. :D But honestly I am apprehensive about ice & snow because it's supposed to be a bad one here this winter per the weather newscast (hopefully not as bad as a couple of years ago wherein I was honestly house bound for 6 weeks!). This is why I'm literally waiting till the last minute to get tickets, et al (lol, did the same thing for the Olympics up in Vancouver btw).

That said, me & my baby niece are supposed to go gift shopping for the skaters either this weekend or next, though I'd like to do it this weekend because next weekend is Halloween!!!!! I already have our list compiled (looked up each skater individually on the 'net to see what they like). (:^)

p.s. I'm mixing business with pleasure that weekend as well, so it will be a pleasureable experience all around, seeing skating live & also buying some products for my business.

I'm going to ask my niece this weekend if she still wants to go, because I honestly don't want to anymore. With Zhenya gone, I'm finding my love of skating is slowly diminishing as well. In fact I honestly only came back for him.

Lol, I'm the figure skating fan in the family anyway, she loves roller skating & roller derby, and also wrestling (ugh), which I can't stand but her father loves it so not surprisingly she does as well. I'll see if she'd rather go to something like that instead. But if she wants to go to Skate America, then I'll do it, though my heart is no longer in it.

I'm going from Spokane, which is close (6 hours) but I dont know Portland. Any good places near the Rose Garden to eat, either for a quick meal or a longer one?
Let me know when (and if) the official practice schedules pop up on a website.

As the hour draws closer I've finally started to really research tickets, hotels, packages, mapquest, et al. Btw, I'm so grateful that the usfsa site has everything really organized & easy to understand, including the four different types of packages, hotels, etc. This made it so easy to arrange my itinerary. Definitely going to purchase the VIP packages, but still undecided on where to stay, as the ones presented are ALL fantastic! http://www.usfsa.org/Events.asp?id=397#tickets

That said, the only thing I'm a bit upset about is that me & my baby niece only want to see the mens & ladies freeskates, however each session includes another discipline. :( So I will be paying for ice dance & pairs, even though I don't want to see them, nor are we staying to watch them skate (see here: http://www.rosequarter.com/EventDeta...9/Default.aspx). I don't understand why tickets to individual events were not offered? At the Olympics it was; we wanted to see mens only & that's just what we got. Other than that, I am pleased.

p.s. mapquest states it will only take me 2 hrs. 53 minutes to get there ~ YEAH! (:^D

***Note: Laura Lepisto dropped out, which is why I'm glad I haven't purchased gifts for the skaters just yet, rather will do so at the last minute; also I forgot Oda has a new baby, so will get something for his newborn as well. ***

Tonichelle, I'm only going because it is close to where I live (in my backyard, so to speak), same as the Olympics were, literally only took me 2.5 hours to get to Vancouver. And I would've gone to Nationals last year if I could've gotten a ticket one-day before the event! Lol, I'm nuts, I wanted to make sure Sasha Cohen was going to skate before deciding, and then when she finished in the Top 3 after the SP, I went loco, but unfortunately I never was able to attain the ticket. :( And it would've only taken me about 4 - 4.5 hrs. to get to Spokane by car. I was even willing to fly, which is a big no-no for me (has to be something huge to get me to fly), roundtrip to Spokane & back to Seattle the same day. Actually it would've been cheaper to fly.

Anyhow, don't feel bad, I honestly prefer IN to watching live, which I've explained numerous times before ~ it's more glamorous on t.v. and ALL the skaters look larger-than-life ~ but I'll go watch live if it's close by (& I can get front row tickets), like now.

I also heard Universal Sports is great, so I'm sure you'll have a great time watching it when you get back from your trip. (:^)

I love the atmosphere of a live competition. I got the bug in 2005 when Nationals were in Portland, OR. Being a photographer, I love shooting the event from start to finish (though all those hours behind a lens worsens a condition I have where my right eye is overly dominate and so I get double vision by the end of the day!). I have never been to an international competition. However, I enjoy US nationals so much I've always chosen a 10 day event over a weekend event like Skate America. Someday, though... maybe when Worlds comes back to teh west coast (still kicking myself that I couldn't afford to go to Worlds in LA)

Hmmm, you do have an excellent point about the atmosphere of a live competition, ita! I noticed that right off the bat at the Olympics. I'll never ever forget seeing Zhenya jump like a cat right in front of my eyes, and the whole crowd holding their breath, and then gasping. It solidified in my mind what I always suspected, the crowd DOES appreciate superior athleticism, it's so visceral that one cannot help but appreciate it with gasps & awe, lol kinda like President Bush's "Shock & Awe" campaign against terrorism. :D

Unfortunately, my mobility has worsened this year and I can not make it to Portland. For those going to Portland for the first time, you will see easy transport from hotel to arena. Weather should be good. Fast food shops all around. Easy to find The people are very friendly and the atmosphere is live and let live. Great town!

Sorry to hear that, I do recall reading about your condition last year or so, here's hoping you get better! Btw, it seems to me that you & Mathman are the oldest posters here. I don't mean to pry, and I'm sorry if I have offended you, just curious is all.

As for me, I'm already familiar with the Oregon area, my older brother went to boarding school there, and my paternal grandmother did as well (they both went to the same school). In fact my grandmother was an orphan (along with her little sister) so she grew up in that school from kindergarten to 12th grade, where she finally met my paternal grandfather, and they eloped. Also I love to vacation along the beautiful Oregon coast during the summer, especially Seaside.

Sorry for rambling everyone....

Can't wait to go to Skate America next weekend (by then my laryngitis, et al, should be gone)!